"I CONSENTED"
When I reached our chambers I found them empty. At the bath, however,
though Ariston was not there I learned the incidents of the day. Almost
immediately after my interview with Balbus he had headed the attempt to
rescue Chairo; it had been carefully planned, for exactly at three
o'clock there converged upon the House of Detention from every side no
less than six different lines of attack, which took shape only within a
few yards of the house itself, so as to avoid conflicts at points other
than the one upon which the attack was concentrated. But the cult had
taken precautions. Some machine guns had been put into position and
Balbus and his followers were blown out of existence, leaving a mass of
wounded men and but few unwounded survivors. The constables that day
sworn in had at once repaired to the _Liberty_ offices where I had met
them. Ariston was doubtless at that moment conferring with Chairo and
the authorities as to how far this act of violence was to affect the
procedure.
Ariston did not appear at our chambers until after midnight, and he was
then so weary that I did not press him for details. He informed me,
however, that my message to Balbus would probably constitute the pivotal
fact in his defense of Chairo; that Balbus was shot to pieces; and that
the question whether Chairo was to be kept in confinement would probably
be heard within a week.
The next morning Ariston had a long conference with me over the whole
situation, which was a complicated one. The courts, though fair, were
undoubtedly strongly Demetrian in their tendencies, and Ariston did not
believe they would set Chairo at liberty; but he felt it his duty as
Chairo's counsel to make the effort. Ariston did not conceal from me,
however, his conviction that Chairo was insisting on the effort being
made in order to use the decision of the courts on the political arena,
where the issue must be ultimately decided. He, Ariston, doubted the
wisdom of his appearing as Chairo's counsel under the circumstances, for
on the political issue Ariston would fight Chairo to a finish, and
Chairo knew this. But Chairo had declined to release Ariston. He claimed
that Ariston having offered to act for him, and he having accepted the
offer, Ariston was no longer free to withdraw except for better reason
than he could give.
The importance of the testimony I could give, and the fact that I was a
lawyer admitted me into all the conferences that were held. Chairo's
case was to come up on habeas corpus, and I undertook to prepare an
affidavit as to the message sent through me by Chairo to Balbus. In the
preparation of this affidavit I was confronted with the question whether
it was necessary to introduce Neaera's name; there was in me a strong
repugnance to doing so. If by involving Neaera I could save an innocent
man I should have been guilty in omitting her intervention in my
interview with Balbus; but the only person that to my mind could be
affected by her intervention was Balbus, and Balbus was dead. Nor would
his memory gain much by testimony that would tend to prove that the
incriminating act was done at the bidding of a woman.
Three days after Chairo's arrest I was still hesitating over this
question when I received a message from Masters asking for an interview.
I readily accorded one, and we met in Chairo's chambers which were put
at my disposal during his detention.
Masters opened the conversation by telling me confidentially that Neaera
had promised to marry him, and that he was naturally, therefore, anxious
to exonerate her from responsibility as regarded the rash attempt at
rescue. I let him speak preferring to hold my tongue till I learned the
story Neaera had told him. He admitted that Neaera had taken a strong
stand in favor of Chairo and all that Chairo stood for, but explained
the enormous difference between constitutional opposition and appeal to
force. Neaera had told him that no word of writing that she could
remember--save such as might have been written at the dictation of
others--could possibly compromise her, but that she did not know how far
some of the survivors might not seek to escape punishment by throwing
responsibility on her. Neaera had particularly asked Masters to see me
and find out how far this was to be feared.
I recognized the fine work of our astute friend in the story told by
Masters, and anxious to know just how far Masters was committed to
Neaera, I asked:
"When do you expect to be married?"
Masters lowered his voice as he answered:
"Confidentially, we are already married. I found her wandering aimlessly
about the street expecting arrest; so I took her at once to Washington
and married her there. I have left her among friends in a neighboring
state till this matter blows over."
The marriage having taken place, there was clearly no duty upon me to
enlighten Masters, so I said to him:
"Assure Neaera from me that I shall keep you informed of how matters
move and particularly if any witness testifies in a manner to compromise
her. No such testimony has been given as yet to my knowledge--but then,
none of the survivors of the rescue party have yet been examined."
I worded my answer in a manner to reassure Neaera so far as I myself was
concerned and Masters left me satisfied. _He_ deserved sympathy, at any
rate.
Ariston was extremely busy endeavoring to obtain affidavits from the
survivors as to Chairo's non-complicity in the attack, and asked me
therefore to see Lydia and explain to her the importance of silence at
this juncture. Accordingly I went to see her and found Aunt Tiny in a
state of great excitement. Lydia was ill and her mother was with her.
Aunt Tiny wanted to take the whole matter on her shoulders.
"Lydia will do just what I tell her to do," assured Aunt Tiny, nodding
her curls gravely at me.
"I think I ought to see Lydia myself if it can be managed," I answered.
"But she is so ill." Her lisp was childish and I unconsciously smiled a
little. My smile put the little woman in quite a flutter.
"I'll manage it," she said confidently. "You'll see; I'll manage it";
and the busy little body, in spite of her age, tripped out of the room.
Presently she returned radiant. "It's all right," she said. "You can
come; I told you I should manage it"; and she showed me to Lydia's room.
Lydia was lying on a couch with a shawl thrown over her knees; but the
chiton loosely fastened over her right shoulder showed all the beauty of
her bare arm. Very different, indeed, did she look from the girl I awoke
to find bending over me on the hill on Tyringham. The warm color of the
sun had left her skin, which was now white and extremely delicate. Her
head, then strong and erect, now leaned upon a pillow so gently that it
seemed
"A petal of blown roses on the grass."
Her mother was standing as I entered and pushed a chair for me by
Lydia's side. I sat upon it, and taking Lydia's hand, kissed it. A tear
came in her eye at this act of sympathy and she said:
"I am glad you have come to see me."
"I would not have dared to come," said I, "were it not that I have to
warn you in Chairo's interest and in your own to say nothing for the
present."
"Say nothing!" she exclaimed, raising her head erect. "What! does Chairo
wish me to say nothing when I can by a word exonerate him altogether!"
"How so?" I asked.
"I consented," she said. "If the charge is that he carried me away it
must fall when I say that I consented."
"Lydia!" exclaimed her mother. "Do be careful! Our friend here can be
depended on; but such an admission might be used against you; it may be
no crime in law to have consented, but in the cult you will be disgraced
forever."
"Then may I be disgraced," said Lydia despondingly. "I did consent; and
Chairo must not suffer the odium of having carried me off against my
will. Besides," added she, erect again, "I am not ashamed of having
consented. I love Chairo. I am ready to declare it before the world. I
was wrong when I accepted the mission and those around me should have
known it. Not you, mother," added Lydia, as she saw her mother start,
"not you, but the priests--they should have known it--they did know
it--and yet they allowed me to accept the mission, loving Chairo."
Lydia put out her arms to her mother, who bent over and kissed her.
"The time will doubtless come," said I, "when you will be able to
vindicate Chairo. But at this moment I think, perhaps, it may be wiser
to say nothing. Chairo does not wish to be released. He wants the court
to decide against him. Such a decision will constitute a grievance which
will to his mind strengthen his cause with the people. I don't know," I
added, smiling, "whether I am altogether on his side upon all the
political issues he stands for; but I am on your side, Lydia. I want you
to be happy, and much depends upon the circumstances under which your
declaration is made. At this moment it may be wiser to keep silence;
they cannot compel you to testify until Chairo is tried, and he proposes
to postpone the trial, if he can, until the legislature meets. Masters
is taking a vigorous stand in favor of Chairo, and he may carry a
sufficient number of votes to constitute a radical majority. Up to the
present time Masters has voted upon most issues with the government."
Lydia listened to me with her long blue-gray eyes fixed on mine. It was
a luxury to look into them. I thought I was no longer in love with her,
but there was a fascination in those eyes to which it was a delight
innocently to surrender.
"Chairo is doubtless right," she said, "and you too."
"The priests will probably ask you for a declaration; you are ill enough
to make illness an excuse for keeping out of the case altogether. My
advice is not to antagonize them at this moment. You can let them know
that you propose to make no affidavit whatever, neither on one side nor
on the other--at present."